Ballon d’Or: How Dembele beat injury woes to claim football’s biggest prize

Ousmane Dembele moved from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona in 2017 for an initial fee of €105m (up to €147m with add-ons). The 20-year-old had just helped Dortmund win the German Cup in May 2017, scoring the opening goal in the final.

Barcelona gave him Neymar’s old No.11 shirt and hailed him as a future star. He made a memorable debut by creating a goal as a substitute, but in his first La Liga start he tore a hamstring and missed roughly four months.

Injuries and setbacks

At Barcelona, Dembele’s career was marred by frequent injuries. He still won three La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophies with the club, but he never secured a regular place.

Reports by renowned sports platform, FourFourTwo, note that over his six seasons at Camp Nou he suffered at least 14 muscle injuries, spending about 784 days on the sidelines.

Dembele later admitted that he wasn’t lucky for three or four years with injuries during his time in Catalonia. Frustration grew as each recovery was followed by another setback.

By summer 2023 Barcelona decided to move on, selling Dembele to Paris Saint-Germain for about £43.5m and ending his six-year stint at the club.

Resurgence at PSG

Dembele rebounded strongly after joining PSG in 2023. In the 2024–25 season he scored 35 goals in 53 games and helped PSG to a domestic double and a first-ever Champions League title.

He netted 21 goals with eight assists in 29 league appearances and was crucial in Europe, adding eight Champions League goals and decisive strikes in knockout rounds. His performances earned him the 2025 Ballon d’Or, which he won ahead of Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal.

After the award ceremony in Paris, Dembele was visibly moved. “What just happened to me is incredible. I’m speechless. It’s been an amazing season with PSG. I’ve experienced incredible things, and I’m a little nervous; it’s not easy,” he said.

He called receiving the trophy “truly exceptional”, especially getting it from Ronaldinho, and thanked PSG’s president and staff as “a wonderful family” for their support.

He also praised coach Luis Enrique as “like a father” for helping him rediscover top form

cupped from punch